Back in the Saddle Again
by Rosebud5
Summary: This is a story about Soda getting a call from the people who adopted Mickey Mouse years ago saying the horse is sick and needs Soda more than ever. But when Soda gets snowed in at Mickey's owner's home, will a certain girl named Jenny end up helping HIM?
1. Not Just a Phone Call

Hey guys! Okay, so this is going to be a chapter book about Sodapop Curtis (who else anymore, huh? lol) and I hope you all enjoy it! It's set a few months after the novel ended so...yes. READ!

Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders or the song "Back in the Saddle Again." Ya know...all this really should go without saying...

~Rosey

* * *

**Back in the Saddle Again**

_CHAPTER ONE: NOT JUST A PHONE CALL  
_

"Sodapop get up! You'll be late for work again!" Darry Curtis shook his younger brother's shoulder vigorously at seven in the morning.

"Ugghhh...five more minutes?" Soda begged, swatting the air in front of him and accidentally bopping his older brother in the nose.

"Ow! Dang it Sodapop," Darry grumbled, holding his now bruising nose. "Would you just get up? You'll be late for work for the fourth time this week."

"Alright, alright Superman I'm gettin' up," Soda whined, rolling to his side and pulling his pillow over his head. "In two minutes."

"Soda get up!" Now it was Pony's turn to bug his brother as he came into their room and bounced up and down on the mattress next to Sodapop.

"Ok, ok fine," Soda chuckled, sitting up and whopping Pony with his pillow. "I'll be in the kitchen in a minute, dig it?"

"If you're not I'll throw you over my shoulder like a bundle of roofin' and take you in there," Darry threatened, getting to his feet and leaving the room with Pony in toe.

"I'm sure you will," he laughed after them, going to his closet and pulling out his jeans. After pulling on his Levi's and Converse, he faced the mirror and began styling his already practically perfect blond hair, combing back the bangs from his movie-star handsome face. As he turned to grab his DX cap from the bed post, he spotted an old photograph of Sandy and himself at a dance only a year ago. He bit back the pain he felt in his heart from seeing her face again and turned the picture downwards on his nightstand. He had tried to do that for two months now, but only that morning found the inner strength to do so. Managing to put his happy-go-lucky smile back on, he turned to the door and went to the kitchen.

Darry and Pony were already sitting down to a breakfast of eggs and toast. Soda stuck his tongue out at them for being ready in 58 seconds instead of his promised one minute and then made his way over to the fridge, pulling out the grape jelly and flopping down at the table.

"So Pony what's your plans for today?" Soda asked, piling jelly and eggs onto a piece of toast.

"Well, Soda, it's Wednesday," Pony raised an eyebrow. "I got school."

"Oh. Right," Soda nodded, taking a bite of his creation. "I knew that." Sodapop had dropped out of high school about five months ago to help Darry with the bills, and he didn't regret it for a moment. Except when Pony seemed ashamed of him for quitting school his junior year.

"Uhh...you guys, it's gonna be real cold today so ya'll better bring your heaviest coats with you," Darry quickly changed the subject.

"Shoot, it's February! Shouldn't it be spring yet?" Soda sighed, getting a glass of chocolate milk for himself.

"Not in Oklahoma," Pony chuckled. "It stays freezing cold until March and then gets boiling hot until September."

"Except for those random days where it's cold and hot all at one time," Soda added with a laugh.

"And then we have tornadoes," Darry said with a smile.

"HEY GUYS!" Suddenly the front door burst open and Two-Bit and Steve let themselves into the Curtis' house, along with a burst of freezing cold air from outside.

"Morning," Darry greeted them, putting his now-empty dishes in the sink. "Help yourselves to whatever's left."

"I know what I want!" Two-Bit laughed, going to the fridge and grabbing a bottle of beer and a piece of cake.

Steve chuckled and took a seat by Sodapop, taking a piece of toast and whopping his best friend with it before putting jelly on it. "How ya doin', buddy?" Steve asked with a grin full of food.

Soda laughed and threw a napkin at his friend's face. "This is a napkin. Napkin, meet Steve. Steve, meet napkin. Ya'll have never met before in your life," Sodapop joked.

"Ha-ha you crack me up," Steve rolled his eyes, throwing the napkin back at Soda.

It was then that the telephone rang. Darry was the first to reach it, picking up the phone and holding it to his ear. "Hello?...Yes, this is the Curtis house...Yeah, he's here...May I ask who's calling?...The Whitleys?...I'm sorry, I don't know of any...Yeah, yeah here he is." Darry put a hand over the receiver and faced Soda. "It's for you, little buddy. You know anybody with the last name Whitley?"

"No," Soda shook his head, taking the phone out of Darry's hand. "But it looks like I'm about to," he winked. He then held the phone up to his ear. "Ye-llo!...Yeah, this is Soda...Yup, that's my real name...Mickey Mouse?"

The room went dead silent as Soda spoke the name of his old horse. Okay, so it hadn't really been _his_, but it might as well have been. Until he was sold away when Soda was twelve. All the greasers struggled to listen in to Soda's conversation now as the middle Curtis brother sank into a chair.

"Yeah it know where Stillwater is...Not too far from Tulsa, just a few hours...How bad off is he?...How did you find me?...Buck?...Yeah I can be there by noon...What's the address again?" Soda grabbed a notepad and pen and began writing down information. "Okay...yeah...Thanks for contacting me...You too...See ya'll soon."

"What was that about?" Two-Bit raised an eyebrow.

"And where do you think you're going?" Darry demanded, grabbing the notepad from Soda's hand to read the address.

"It's Mickey Mouse," Soda mumbled. "He's real sick. The Whitleys were the people who bought Mickey. Apparently he's really sick so they called Buck to ask for advice and he told them I would be the best thing for Mickey Mouse right now. I gotta go to Stillwater," Soda got to his feet, grabbing the notepad back out of Darry's hand. "I'll be back by tonight."

"Soda, you got work!" Darry grabbed Soda by the shirt, pulling him back. "Besides, you don't even know the Whitleys. You're acting without thinking again."

"I'm not going to let my horse die," Soda said seriously. He then grabbed the phone again and called the DX. "Hey, it's Sodapop. I'm sick today so I ain't gonna be in...Yeah...'K, thanks. Bye."

"Soda you can't just go to some stranger's house to take care of a horse you ain't seen since you were twelve," Pony insisted.

"Aww shoot Pony, I'll be fine. I'll be back by tonight." By now Soda was at the door, putting on his coat, scarf, and hat before grabbing the keys to their truck. "Sorry I'm gonna have to take the truck, Dare. I ain't walkin' that far. See you guys tonight!"

And before anyone could say anything, Soda closed the door behind him and he was gone.

* * *

Well there's chapter one! I hope it's not moving too fast...If you think it is feel free to tell me, but flames will be used to make a fire in me fireplace.

Then again, I thought it was very Sodaish for him to act rashly. lol

And since I most likely won't have a chance to update again until after Christmas...MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL! AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR! (Though I hope to update again before 2011...)

**So review? Maybe?**

~Rosey


	2. Baby It's Cold Outside

Hey all! How were your holidays? Well here's chapter two! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders, or the songs "Back in the Saddle Again" or "Baby It's Cold Outside," but I do own the Whitley family. Also, the address used in this chapter is completely made up. Any reference to real people/addresses is totally coincidental.

~Rosey

* * *

_CHAPTER TWO: BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE  
_

Soda slid into the driver's seat of the pick-up, taking a deep breath. He didn't want to show the gang how shaken up he was at the thought of his old horse dying, but now he felt the fear hit him as he sat alone in the car. He put his forehead on the steering wheel, closing his eyes. He hadn't seen Mickey Mouse since he was twelve, but that horse had been like his best friend. And now he was dying. Soda turned the key in the ignition, starting the car and putting it into reverse and pulling out of the drive-way. As he began driving out of the neighborhood, he kept thinking about Mickey Mouse. Would he recognize him? Or would he be spooked and get sicker? No. Surely the horse would remember Sodapop. He had to.

The sky was cold and gray and the air seemed to smell of snow. Soda's hands were numb but he didn't realize it until he tried to turn on the radio and his hands didn't work right. He turned the heat on higher and struggled to concentrate on the road. He was nervous. No, more like full-blown scared. He was going to the house of a complete stranger to help with a horse who might not even remember him. He tried to concentrate on the radio, which was luckily for him playing Elvis songs. These songs distracted his mind enough for his nerves to calm down and for him to focus more on driving. He was going ten miles over the speed limit, but he honestly didn't care. Heck, he was in drag races all the time. This was nothing.

About two miles away from Stillwater, a light snow began to fall from the sky. The large, cotton-like flakes coated the road and the windshield. Soda sighed. Just what he needed. He squinted against the bright flakes and turned down another road, his blond hair falling into his eyes. He only hoped that he was going the right direction...he had to find the right street: Greenhill. Then apparently there was another short drive until he got to the address, 1542 Northwest Greenhill Drive. The snow was falling harder now, and he silently prayed for it to stop soon so the roads would be clear enough for him to make it home.

Maybe it was a miracle, or just plain luck, that Sodapop finally managed to find Greenhill Drive, and eventually the correct house. When he pulled into the driveway, he let out a low whistle. These people had it nice. Their home was a pleasant looking brick house with a smoking chimney and a wreath on the front door that hadn't been taken down from Christmas yet. In the back, Soda could just make out a red barn with a soft light coming from inside. He bit his lip. Mickey Mouse was in there. His old horse. He zipped his jacket and got out of the truck, closing the door behind him. The snow was falling harder now, and the heavy flakes coated his hair and shoulders. Blowing into his hands, trying for warmth and failing, he reached the door and knocked, his numb knuckles seeming to vibrate when he did so.

After what seemed like hours, the door finally opened. A kind looking, middle-aged woman stood in the doorway. She had strawberry blond hair and olive colored eyes, and was a few inches taller than Soda. She smiled when she saw him and opened the door wider. "Hello there!" she greeted him. "Please come inside, you must be freezing." Once Sodapop was inside the house, he shook the snow flakes out of his hair and faced her again.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Whitley," he smiled politely.

"You as well, Sodapop," she beamed. "I know this is crazy, us asking you to come all the way out here to us-total strangers to you-to ask for help with Mickey Mouse."

"Hey I do crazy stuff on a regular basis," Soda chuckled. While he was saying this, he took a moment to look around the room. The living room was nicely furnished, though not Soc-y, just pleasant to look at. A golden fire blazed in the fireplace, and maroon furniture decorated the room. A stair-case was in the far corner of the room, no doubt leading to an upstairs floor. Feeling out of place, Soda removed his cap and stuffed it into his coat pocket.

It was then the back door opened, and a tall man, the same age as Mrs. Whitley entered. He had dark auburn hair and brown eyes, as well as a fatherly smile. When he saw Sodapop, he smiled and went over next to him and Mrs. Whitley. "Ah, you must be Sodapop Curtis," the man grinned. "I'm Mr. Whitley. Thank you so much for coming to help us with Mickey. Buck Merrill insisted that you would be the best thing for Mickey Mouse right now. We didn't think you'd come...that was very kind of you."

"Shoot, I'd do anything for that darn horse, man," Soda chuckled slightly, kicking some snow off his shoes and onto the floor mat.

Suddenly, the stair-case creaked and everybody turned towards it. Soda blinked when he saw who came down. It was a young girl about his age. She had red hair and dark brown eyes, and a round face that was speckled with freckles across her nose. She smiled when she saw Sodapop, and he noticed her teeth were straight and white. Soda was also surprised to notice that she didn't dress trashy, like so many of the girls he had seen. She wore jeans and a green plaid shirt, and her hair was in a simple braid. She also wore no make-up, her face was just...natural. Soda had never seen anybody like her before. And it wasn't that she was beautiful she was just...real.

"Hey there," she smiled, going over to Soda. "You must be Sodapop. I'm Jenny."

"Nice to meet ya, Jenny," Soda smiled back, holding out his hand to shake hers. "And call me Soda."

"OK then, Soda," she laughed. She then turned to her parents. "Shouldn't we take him out to see Mickey Mouse now?"

"Honey, give the boy a second. He just got here," Mrs. Whitley scolded gently.

"No ma'am, I'm alright. I would like to see Mickey Mouse now, if that's okay with you," Soda mumbled, shoving his still-numb hands into his coat pocket.

"Alright then," Mrs. Whitley smiled. "Come with us."

Soda followed Mr. and Mrs. Whitley and Jenny out into the back yard. Heavy snow was now falling in down-pours. Soda bit his lip. How was he supposed to get home now? However, all other thoughts left him when they arrived at the horse stable. There. In the far corner. Laying on a pile of straw. Mickey Mouse. Soda froze in place when he saw his old horse. Mickey was now much grayer than he had been, and much thinner. Soda could see each of his ribs against the thinning fur. "Have you guys been feeding him?" The question came out more angry than he had intended, but he couldn't help himself.

"Of course we have," Mr. Whitley nodded. "He just hasn't been eating."

Jenny was next to Mickey Mouse by now, gently stroking the horses' mane. Soda went next to her and gently reached out a hand to touch the horses' back. At the touch, Mickey's eyes opened and connected with Soda's. Sodapop bit his lip as Mickey Mouses' dark eyes met his. He gently reached out a hand and stroked Mickey's velvet nose. "Hey buddy," Soda whispered softly, a smile forming on his face. "Remember me?"

Mickey Mouse nickered softly and pressed his nose against Soda's hand. "I think he remembers you, Soda," Jenny smiled. He noticed how her voice wasn't flirty or giggly, just simple and friendly. And he liked...no..._admired_ that. It was a respect he had never felt before.

"Yeah," Sodapop grinned. "Of course he remembers his ol' Soda."

Suddenly, a loud wind whirred outside and Soda got to his feet to look out the window. "Oh great," he sighed. The snow was coming down in torrents now. He'd be lucky to get back out to his truck, much less get back home.

Mr. and Mrs. Whitley seemed to be thinking the same thing, for they mumbled amongst themselves for a moment before facing Sodapop again.

"Soda, I'm afraid there's no way you can get home tonight. If it's alright with you, we would love to ask you to be our guest until the snow clears up," Mr. Whitley smiled kindly.

Soda blinked. "Oh. Well. I wouldn't want to impose," he shook his head.

"It's not imposing if they ask you," Jenny raised an eyebrow, looking up at Soda from her position next to Mickey Mouse.

"I...I'd have to call Darry," Soda said, feeling embarrassed and slightly rude.

"Darry?" Mrs. Whitley asked, confused.

"My big brother. He's me and my little brother's legal guardian," Soda explained.

"Well our phone is your phone," Jenny smiled, going next to him. "And we're not going to let you try to make it home in this blizzard."

Soda looked from Jenny to her parents to Mickey Mouse before nodding and giving them a Sodapop-smile. "Thanks."

* * *

Well there's chapter two! I hope you all like Jenny...my goal is to make her as not-Mary-Sueish as possible. If you think she is, please tell me how you think I should fix it. BUT NO FLAMES. I eat them. lol

Review?

~Rosey


	3. Romeo and Juliet

Hey guys! It's little ol' me! So here's chapter three! Hope you all are enjoying this! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders or Romeo and Juliet. Nuff said.

~Rosey

* * *

_CHAPTER THREE: ROMEO AND JULIET_

"Hey-ya, Darry," Soda beamed sheepishly into the phone only minutes after the Whitley's invitation for him to stay the blizzard out.

"SODA!" The cry from the other end of the line made Soda jump at least half a foot into the air. "We've been worried sick about you! We thought you were trying to drive back and got stuck in the blizzard and got hurt or-"

"Darry. Breathe. In and out. Remember how I taught you?" Soda instructed. "Listen, I'm snowed in at the Whitley's house and they offered to let me stay here until the roads clear."

"What? Soda we need yo-"

"Darrel Shayne Curtis Jr.! Sit down and breathe right now!" Soda demanded. There was a pause on the other end of the line as Darry obeyed and then Soda went on. "It'll be better this way anyway, okay? I'll get to spend more time helping Mickey Mouse. And it ain't like I'm going to take up any room...I'm gonna sleep on the couch."

"Soda, what about wor-"

"You call the DX and explain everything. Le'gasp! Problem fixed!" Soda chuckled.

Soda could just see Darry running a hand through his hair before composing himself. "Okay, little buddy. Remember your manners and check in with us as much as possible, understand?"

"I know, I know Dare-"

"And take care of yourself," Darry added. "Don't go riding on Mickey Mouse when he's better and get bucked off."

"Shoot, Dare, I ain't that dumb," Soda sighed.

"I know, I know, I just worry about you is all," Darry mumbled.

"Darry, you said yourself you don't worry about me. I know how to use my head," Soda pointed out.

"Well, Soda, I didn't use to worry about you too much but after...Well, I worry about you now, okay?" Darry muttered.

Soda bit his lip. He knew Darry was talking about Sandy's break-up with Sodapop, the loss of Johnny and Dally, and Soda's confession only a few months ago about how he always felt like the middle-man in a tug of war between Darry and Pony. "Darry, I'll be fine, okay? Trust me."

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Darry replied. "Okay. I hope to see ya soon, Pepsi-Cola."

"You will. Bye, Superdope," Soda joked.

"Ha-ha. Bye," Darry grumbled, hanging up.

Soda put the phone back in the receiver before turning to face Mr. and Mrs. Whitley, who were standing behind him. "Thanks for lettin' me use your phone. And house," he added with a smile.

"Anytime, Soda. And...are you always that happy-go-lucky?" Mrs. Whitley asked with a laugh.

"Er..." Soda thought for a moment before nodding. "Most of the time, yup."

"Well don't all of us wish we could be like that?" Mr. Whitley smiled kindly. "Now if you'd like, Jenny's out with Mickey Mouse. I'm sure they could both use some company," he gestured to the stable outside.

"Ok, thanks," Soda smiled, putting his coat back on.

As he made his way towards the stable through the down-pour of snow, he struggled to just concentrate on Mickey Mouse and not Jenny. Oh, he liked her. Already, within an hour of meeting her, he had a small crush on her. But he knew he couldn't fall for her. Not after Sandy.

Once he entered the stable, he found Jenny curled up on a bench reading a book with Mickey Mouse laying in the same position he had been before. When she heard the door open, Jenny looked up. She felt her heart flutter as she saw Soda entering. Even covered in snow, he was the most handsome person she had ever seen. His brown eyes and perfect blond hair and sensitive face hadn't left her mind since she met him. But she shook her head. No. No falling for him. Not after Evan.

"Hey Soda," she greeted him with a smile. "Came to see Mickey Mouse?"

"Yup," he nodded, taking a seat next to her. "How long has he been this bad?"

"About three days. We knew he was sick when he stopped kicking fences down," she laughed.

"Yeah he's pretty wild," Soda chuckled with fondness.

"Yeah. When we first got him I thought I'd never be able to control him. But I learned that with a kind voice-"

"And carrots," Soda interjected with a snort.

"And carrots," Jenny nodded with a grin. "That he could be tamed."

"He'd always come up to me and stick his nose in my pockets looking for a carrot," Soda laughed with remembrance.

"And if he doesn't find one he follows you like a puppy dog," Jenny beamed.

"And then you have to feed him some grass or something or he never leaves," Sodapop grinned.

Jenny laughed and nodded before biting her lip. "You really love him, don't you?"

"Yeah," Soda nodded, bending down to stroke the horse's mane.

"Sorry we bought him away from you," Jenny mumbled.

"Eh, he wasn't really my horse anyway," Soda shrugged, sticking his hands into his pockets. After an awkward pause, Soda faced her again. "So. What are you readin'?"

"_Romeo and Juliet_," she grinned. He couldn't help but notice how...natural it looked without lipstick making her lips ruby red. "It's my favorite! I've read it hundreds of times. Have you ever read it?"

"Umm...well they tried to make us read it freshman year, but I didn't get a word of it," Soda mumbled, kicking his toe into the ground. "I'm a drop out. I'm dumb. I mean I don't mind...but no, I never got _Romeo and Juliet_."

"Well, would you like to try and get it now?" she asked with a gentle smile.

Soda blinked. She wasn't judging him because he was dumb. He managed a grin and he shrugged. "Sure. I don't think it'll work, but-"

"Well let's give it a shot," she insisted, handing the right side of the book to him. "Let's just start at the beginning. '_Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean_.' Okay. Did you understand that?"

"Err..well the play takes place in Verona," he bit his lip.

"Yep," she smiled. "It's basically saying there are these two households, the Montagues and the Capulets. And they're both equal in status. And there's this old fight that's been going on between them for years, though nobody knows why, and there's about to be a new battle between them where blood will be spilled."

"Ok. Gotcha," Soda nodded, wrapping his head around the information. "It's kinda like greasers and Socs."

"What?" Jenny raised a confused eyebrow.

"Nothing," Soda shook his head. "Let's go on."

After about forty minutes, they reached the first meeting of Romeo and Juliet. "Why don't you read Romeo from here on out?" Jenny asked kindly. "I'll be Juliet."

"Uhh...okay," Soda mumbled before taking the book in his hands and squinting at the page before him. "'_If I profane with my unworthiest hand__, This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand__, To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss_.'" He faced her with a raised eyebrow. "And I have no idea what I just said."

"He's basically saying he's not worthy of her, but would love to kiss her," Jenny explained. "And then I say _'Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, Which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,__ And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss_.'" And then, off Soda's confused glance, "She's playing hard to get."

"Ok," Soda nodded. "Ok, then I say "_Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too_?" He wrinkled his brow before facing her again. "Is he just saying that those holy people have lips?"

"Yes."

"That's dumb."

"Shh. We're going on," Jenny playfully scolded. "Juliet then says '_Aye, pilgrim, lips they must use in prayer_.'"

"'_Then let lips do what hands do_,'" Soda read. He paused and then stifled a laugh. "That sounds dirty."

"He just wants to kiss her," Jenny laughed.

"Then why don't he just do it?" Soda groaned.

"He'll get there," she promised. "Just read on."

Eventually, they got to the balcony scene. Jenny cleared her throat and read beautifully "_Romeo, Romeo...wherefore art thou Romeo?_"

"He's right under her balcony," Soda spoke up.

"What?"

"Romeo's right under her balcony, being a stalker."

Jenny smiled and shook her head. "No, no. 'Wherefore art thou' means 'why are you called?' She's asking him why he has to be a Montague."

"I still say he's standing right under her balcony," Soda pouted.

"Yes," Jenny giggled. "He is."

Eventually, the two began acting out the play, though they often had to stop so Jenny could explain it to Soda. And finally, after about two hours, they came to the final death scene. Jenny lay, eyes closed, on the bench and Soda approached her, reciting from the script with a surprising amount of acting. "_Thus, with a kiss, I die_," he read, taking a gulp out of an invisible vial of poison, and kissing the air over Jenny, though his lips never touched hers. He paused for a moment before gasping. "Wait! Did I just die?"

"Yes," Jenny giggled, opening one eye. "Now play dead."

"BUT ROMEO CAN'T DIE! HE'S THE HERO!" Soda wailed.

"Soda. Die," Jenny playfully demanded.

Still upset over Romeo's death, Soda flopped onto a pile of hay and did a few dramatic gasps before playing out a very tragic death ending with a few convulsions before he finally lay still.

"Oh you should be on Broadway," Jenny joked before grabbing the script from his hands and reading for Juliet. "Ok, so she wakes up and sees Romeo. '_What's this? A cup closed in my true love's hand? Poison I see hath been his timeless end!...Yea, noise? Then I'll be brief. O, happy dagger! This is thy sheath! There rust, and let me die,_" she cried, taking an invisible dagger and plunging it into her stomach, flinging herself on the hay next to Soda. They lay there for a second before Soda sat up.

"JULIET DIED TOO?" he gasped.

"Yes. She killed herself because he died and she can't live without him. _Never was there a tale of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo."_

"That's terrible!" Soda cried. "They can't both die!"

"I thought most people knew both Romeo and Juliet died," Jenny bit her lip.

"Well I didn't! That's tragic! I wonder if Darry and Pony know," he pondered to himself.

"Soda, I think-"

Suddenly, a painful nicker came from the direction of Mickey Mouse and Soda and Jenny turned to him. He was shaking hard and would often convulse in pain. "Mickey!" they cried in unison, racing over to the horse. And Romeo and Juliet were forgotten.

* * *

D'aww! I feel looove in the air! *Giggle* Well I hope to update soon! Hope you all are enjoying this! :)

So...review?

~Rosey


	4. A Miracle

Hey guys! Ok, here's chapter four! I know it took a while for it to be posted, but life's been crazy! Hope you enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: I own Jenny and the Whitley family, but don't own The Outsiders, despite how much I'd love to.

~Rosey

* * *

**Chapter Four: A Miracle  
**

"How is he, doc?" Soda asked worriedly as the vet emerged from Mickey Mouse's stable. Luckily for Mickey, the vet lived only a few houses down from the Whitley's, so she had managed to make it through the snow to the home of the sick horse and his owners. Jenny, Mr. Whitley, and Mrs. Whitley stood with him, all slightly shivering in the icy wind.

"He was just having a reaction to the fever," Dr. Bangs replied, putting her stethoscope back into her vet bag. Then a smile spread across her face. "In fact, it was a reaction to the fever breaking."

"What?" Jenny and Soda yelped at the exact same time, a look of sheer joy spreading across their faces.

"The fever broke," Dr. Bangs smiled. "He's still very weak and not totally out of the woods yet, but all those convolutions were just a reaction to the fever breaking."

"Soda, you saved Mickey Mouse," Jenny whispered in shock, a hand lightly placed over her mouth.

"It's a miracle..." Mrs. Whitley mumbled, her hand slipping into her husband's.

"I'll be over in a few days to check in on him again," Dr. Bangs smiled, heading to her car through the thick snow. "Feel free to call me if anything changes."

"Thank you so much," Mr. Whitley beamed, helping the vet into her car and making sure she made it out onto the road through the snow.

"Soda, you saved that horse just by showing up here," Jenny whispered in shock, staring at him. "This sounds stupid...but are you an...this makes me sound so dumb...But are you some kind of angel?"

Soda laughed, shaking his head. "Shoot, I'm just a greaser. Mickey just wanted to pull through for us. He has a thousand more fences to knock down."

"Well, I must say it did seem like a kind of miracle," Mr. Whitley shrugged, putting his hands into his pockets. "But I won't question it. Dinner will be ready in an hour or so. Jenny, would you and Soda like to stay out there with Mickey until then?"

"Sure," Jenny nodded, facing Soda with a smile. "If you'd like to."

"Ok," Soda smiled, feeling a blush rise in his cheeks.

And so, Mr. and Mrs. Whitley turned to go inside and Jenny and Soda returned to the stable.

Mickey Mouse was standing up, however shakily, and nickered happily when he saw Jenny and Soda enter. He weakly trotted over to them and nuzzled them each gently, almost as if he was thanking them.

"I knew you'd pull through for me, buddy," Sodapop smiled, stroking his mane.

"Soda...I can't believe we bought Mickey away from you," Jenny mumbled, sitting down on a bench and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I feel so terrible."

"Hey, he was never really mine anyway," Soda smiled, taking a seat next to her.

"You're so unlike Evan..." Jenny whispered before she could stop herself, though, after she said it, she silently cursed herself.

"Evan?" Soda rose an eye brow.

"Nobody," Jenny shook her head, blushing.

"Jenny, you can tell me. My past relationships didn't exactly end like a story book, either," Soda mumbled, shoving his mitten-covered hands into his coat pockets.

"Well..." she began, taking a breath. "Evan had been my best friend for a long time, and he was an awesome friend. But then one day he asked me out. And I figured, if he was such a great friend, he'd make a good boyfriend. But he didn't. I mean, we had some really nice times...but each time I just felt like I was having fun with my _friend_, not my boyfriend. You're supposed to get butterflies around your boyfriend...I never did. Not only that, but he was...Well, he was extremely smart, and he never stopped talking about all this genius stuff I honestly didn't get when we should have been talking about...I don't know...whatever couples talk about that makes the girl giggle and the guy smile. Not only that, but he ALWAYS had to be in the center of attention. No matter what, where we went or what we were doing, he had to be in the spotlight. He always had to one-up anyone who could do anything cool. I don't know... I broke up with him. And haven't heard from him since. I lost a best friend," she shrugged, shoving her hands into her coat pockets. "Maybe it was a mistake to break up with him...I know I hurt him...But I wasn't happy. At first I was a little, but it didn't take too long for me to start dreading dates. And that's not how a relationship is supposed to be like."

Soda bit his lip, nodding. "I understand. The fact that's he's ignoring you now is the worst part. After my old girlfriend...Well I wrote her a letter and she returned it un-opened."

"What happened?" Jenny asked gently, seeing a pain on Soda's face she hated.

"Her name was Sandy. And she cheated on me with this other guy...And...um..." Soda looked at Jenny's face and he decided he didn't want to burden her with the truth. "Well basically she was in a situation where she needed help. So I offered to marry her and she just rejected me and moved to Florida to live with her grandparents. So I sent her a letter and she returned it unopened."

Jenny gasped, putting an arm around Soda's shoulders without thinking. "Soda I'm so sorry. My petty little relationship problem sounds so stupid now..."

"Tell ya what," Sodapop turned to her suddenly, a smile on his face. "Those people are gone now. It's just us."

"Yeah," Jenny smiled, taking a deep breath. "You're right."

"So...I think something is in order..."

"What?" Jenny got to her feet, raising an eyebrow. "What do you expect us to do after knowing each other for all of an afternoon?"

"A SNOWBALL FIGHT!" Soda laughed suddenly, racing out the door and into the snow, balling some of it into a snow ball and throwing it at Jenny as she emerged from the stable.

"You're terrible!" Jenny giggled, throwing snow at him in turn, hitting him in the shoulder.

"Thank you, I know," Soda beamed, making another snow ball and hitting Jenny in the leg with it.

What followed was one of the biggest snowball fights between two people in history...or at least in Oklahoman history. Neither was ever winning, they weren't throwing snow balls for competition. It was just for fun. Because they were just kids, and maybe, just maybe, had feelings for each other. By the time Mr. and Mrs. Whitley called for them to come inside, both teenagers were soaking wet and shivering, but laughing as if there were no problems in the world.

And as they went inside, hand in hand, a shooting star darted across the cold night sky.

* * *

OK, so this chapter was short and kinda cheesy, but I thought it was sweet and helped develop Soda and Jenny's relationship. If it was too cheesy for you, feel free to tell me and give me advice on how to fix it. But NO FLAMES! They will be used to roast yummy marshmallows I shall share with Sodapop. And what do you think of Jenny's back-story with Evan? It won't show up later in the fic, I don't think, but I thought it was important for developing her character.

Review?

~Rosey


	5. Bucked Off

Hey guys! Okay, here's chapter five! This book's gonna be rather shortish...only about three more chapters after this one! Hope you all are enjoying it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

~Rosey

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**Chapter Five: Bucked Off**

"Heya Darry, it's Soda," Sodapop smiled into the phone after four days at the Whitley's.

"Soda? This is Two-Bit. You gotta help me, man! Darry and Pony are fighting all the time and putting me in the middle of it!" Two-Bit's panicked voice came through the other end of the line.

Soda sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Listen, man. I'm on vacation. I'll be home in a few days. The roads are almost clear. But in the mean time just tell 'em I said 'You guys promised' and that should shut 'em up for a couple hours."

"Ok, ok. I'll try. But they're tearin' me apart! So how's Mickey doin'?" Two-Bit asked. Soda could hear him shoveling chocolate cake into his mouth as he spoke.

"He's great! Me and Jenny are goin' for a ride in a few minutes," Soda replied with a grin.

"Oh-ho-ho!" Two-Bit jeered. "You sly dog!"

"Aww shut up, man," Soda laughed. "Let me talk to one of 'em."

"Ok," Two-Bit agreed. A few seconds later, Pony's voice came from the other end of the line.

"Soda, it's not fair! Darry won't let me go to the movies but I fin-"

"Pony. Remember ya'll's promise?" Soda chasticed gently.

Pony sighed. "Yes, I know. But he's bein' stupid! We need you back, man!"

"I'll be home in a few days, I promise, okay bud? But in the mean time don't fatally wound each other. Just listen to Dare for a few more days and then I'll be back and we can bug him together, okay?" Soda joked.

Groaning, Pony answered "Fine. But you better be home SOON. Okay?"

"I will," Soda promised.

"Ok...I believe you. See you soon, Soda," Pony said before hanging up.

Sodapop hung up as well and then turned to the door, putting on his coat and gloves. He then walked out to the stable, where Jenny was saddling up Mickey Mouse, who had fully recovered by now. The sky was overcast and smelled of rain, and the snow was just a slush around his feet. Secretly he knew he could have left for home that day. But he wasn't ready quite yet.

"Hey Soda," Jenny smiled when Sodapop came into the stable, his blonde hair ruffled from lack of grease and multitude of cold wind.

"Hey Jenny," he grinned, helping her attach the last part of the saddle to Mickey's back. "So...how you wanna do this? I mean, I don't think both of us'll fit on his back..."

"You ride first, just make him go slowly and I'll walk beside you. Then I'll get on after," she instructed, handing Soda the reigns.

"You sure you don't wanna ride first?" Soda asked, rubbing Mickey's muzzle.

"Sure I'm sure," she insisted. "Wanna ride to the pond and back?"

"Anything you wanna do," Soda winked, mounting the horse gently. "Okay, bud. Let's do this. I won't make you go fast, alright buddy? Just go at your own speed."

"I love how you talk to him like a person," Jenny smiled as they made their way slowly out of the stable. "I do the same thing."

Soda chuckled as he led Mickey toward the direction of the pond. It was quiet as they made their way over to the pond, a cool wind blowing past them. They could already see the pond shimmering in the distance, covered in ice.

"Jenny, thanks for letting me stay so long. I hope I'm not over-stayin' my welcome or anythin'," Soda finally spoke up with a small smile.

"What? Soda, I've had more fun with you these past four days than I ever remember having. I'll hate it when you have to leave," Jenny insisted, looking up at Soda with a grin. Towering above her on the horse the sun, though mainly covered with rain clouds, sparkled against his golden hair and perfect face, and he looked like a movie star come to life before her eyes. She blushed, looking down.

"I'll hate it too," Soda mumbled. "But I promise I'll call ya and come back to see ya sometimes."

"I'm holding you to that," Jenny rose an eye brow. "I'm serious."

By now they had reached the pond, and Soda stopped Mickey next to it, looking down at the frozen water. He then faced Jenny again with a smile. "Don't worry Jenny. I'll keep in touch, I swear. I lov-"

But suddenly a roll of thunder in the distance caused Mickey Mouse to buck back. Soda felt his head get wacked against Mickey's as the stallion reared back. He then felt himself get tossed off his horse's back and land on the frozen pond, pain searing up through his arm which he tried to catch himself with. He heard Jenny scream as the ice shattered around him and then he just felt painful coldness as the freezing water drug him down. It was so cold...it felt like a thousand knives all over. He tried to breathe and only got a lungful of icy water. He didn't know which way was up or down...His heart was pounding loudly in his ears and panic filled him. Then everything, mercifully, went pitch black.

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OOOHHH! CLIFFY!

So.

Yes.

And the "thousand knives all over" is from _Titanic. _Jack's words. Not mine.

~Rosey


	6. Love is Waking

Hey all! Well here's chapter six! Hope you enjoy it!

Dislciamer: Own nothing. Wish I did. But I don't.

~Rosey

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**Chapter Six: Love is Waking**

Waking up was a hard process for Sodapop, and it wasn't exactly comfortable to do either. The first fully concious thought that entered his mind was that his head was pounding with pain and he groaned slightly, wincing at the throbbing sensation. The next thing he realized was he was freezing cold and shivering, and he wasn't exaclty sure why. His vision was blurry as he tried to open his eyes. He coughed, and realized his throat was painfully sore and scratchy. Biting back the pain, he blinked once or twice to clear his vision.

"Soda?" He heard a gentle voice calling his name, and he blinked harder. Finally, his vision cleared and he saw Jenny leaning over him, her red hair framing her beautiful face, worry covering her countance. "Soda, thank goodness!" she cried, embracing him gently.

"What happened?" Soda tried to raise himself up on his elbows, but she gently pushed him back down.

"Don't try and move yet, Soda. You got pretty banged up," she mumbled, tears in her eyes. "You really scared us there for a while."

"That's sweet and all but what stinkin' happened?" Soda was confused and tired, and not really in the mood for mushy gushy 'I was so worried for you' stuff.

"Mickey Mouse got spooked and you got bucked off. You...landed in the pond. I had to pull you out...Soda, you weren't breathing. I had to give you CPR," she whispered, whiping more tears out of her eyes. But Soda just beamed. Slight anger filling her, Jenny crossed her arms. "Why are you smiling? You weren't breathing! You could have died!"

"You kissed me," Soda smiled, raising an eye brow.

"No, I gave you CPR. I saved your life. There's a difference," Jenny found herself giggling despite the tears in her eyes.

"I still say it was a kiss," Soda grinned.

"No. This is a kiss," Jenny smiled. And then she kissed him. Soda felt his heart beat faster and he fell back into the pillows.

"Well. I won't argue with ya there," he murmured. It was then he realized his arm was in a cast, and he faced her again. "So...what all happened to me? After you got me out of the pond, I mean."

"Well the doctor came and said you had a broken arm as well as a concussion and, most likely, pneumonia from being in that icy water. You really scared us," Jenny finished, gently stroking his hair back off his forehead.

"What about Mickey Mouse? Is he okay?" Soda worried, again trying to raise himself up on his elbows and again failing.

"Bless your heart, Soda, he's fine," Jenny promised, smiling softly. "He was just spooked by the thunder. He's alright now...he's in the stable."

"Where's your folks?" Soda asked, wincing as his head continued to throb.

"My mom's in the kitchen making you some soup and my dad's driving the doctor back to the office," Jenny replied. "Oh, and I called your brothers to let them know. They were real scared for you Soda. They're on their way over here now. They'll be here by tonight to take you home." When she said that, a flicker of sadness crossed her countance before she hid it again.

Soda bit his lip. "Oh. Okay. Umm...so I guess I'll be sayin' good-bye to ya sooner than I hoped to," he mumbled, finally managing to raise himself up into a sitting position.

"Yeah," Jenny sighed, sitting by him and putting a hand over his. "I really hate this..."

"Hey," he crooned, turning her chin to him. "I promised I'd keep in touch, didn't I?"

"Yeah," she nodded, wiping her eyes.

"And ask anybody who knows me...I'm good to my word," he smiled, winking.

"I trust you. I'm just...I'm gonna miss you, Sodapop," she mumbled, leaning her head against the back of the couch.

"I'll miss you too, Jenny, but it ain't like I live in another state. I could be back here in thirty minutes if you needed me," he promised.

"Honey, we live about two hours away from each other," Jenny laughed.

"Yeah, if you drive the legal speed limit," Soda chuckled. "Which I never do."

Jenny giggled, putting a hand on his cast. "You're a danger magnet, aren't you?"

"Being normal is boring," he grinned. "And besides, danger doesn't find me. I find it."

Jenny shook her head, putting an arm around him. "I'll miss you when you leave."

Soda just smiled, kissing her cheek gently. He felt weak and tired, and leaned back into the pillows. Exhaustion was suddenly hitting him hard and he felt his eyes closing. The last thing he saw was Jenny's smiling face looking down at him with more love than Sandy had ever shown him.

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D'awww Soda's okayish! lol Well I'm off to write the next chappy!

If you liked this, hated it, or just wanna be nice...hit that little review button you see at the bottom of the screen. Soda would.

~Rosey


	7. Brothers United Again

Hey ya'll! Well here's the last chapter! Hope you all like it!

Disclaimer: Own nothing. Grr.

~Rosey

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**Chapter Seven: Brothers United Again**

"Soda? Soda wake up. Your brothers are here."

Wincing at the pain in his head, Sodapop drug his eyes open, focusing on Jenny's gentle face above him. "Already?" he asked softly, pushing himself up on his elbows.

"Yeah, already, little buddy." It was Darry who answered, appearing suddenly next to Jenny with Ponyboy at his side. "You scared us to death, Pepsi Cola," the oldest Curtis brother whispered, pulling Soda into a tight hug.

"We missed you so much, Soda," Pony mumbled, joining in on the hug. "And when we got the call you were hurt we thought..." he stopped, shrugging, biting back tears.

"You both worry too much," Sodapop laughed, ruffling Pony's hair. "You shoulda known I'd do something stupid but be alright in the end. That's how it always goes," he beamed.

"We were all worried, Sodapop," Jenny pointed out, smiling tearily. "Well...I'll go tell my folks you're about to leave. They'll want to say good-bye to you."

As Jenny left the room, Darry and Pony nudged Soda in the ribs, grinning from ear to ear. "So that's the great Jenny Whitley, huh?" Pony beamed.

"Yeah. She's...pretty special," Sodapop mumbled, a small smile on his face. "I'll hate leavin' her."

"Well, you'll be able to visit her once in a while and you can call her every day," Darry pointed out, trying for a smile.

"Shoot, Dare, it ain't the same and you know it," Soda sighed.

So the once-again-united brothers just sat there in silence, Pony and Darry with an arm around Sodapop's shoulders, watching the snow continue to melt outside the window.

xoxoxoxoxo

"Good-bye, Mickey buddy," Soda mumbled, stroking the horse's mane. "I'm glad you got better, bud. I promise I'll come back and see ya, okay? Love ya, buddy," he smiled gently.

Sodapop turned around to face his brothers, who supported him on his way out of the stable because he was still very weak from his injuries after being bucked off Mickey.

Once outside, Soda went over to the Whitley family, approaching Mr. and Mrs. Whitley first.

"Thank you so much for lettin' me stay so long," Sodapop smiled politely.

"No, Sodapop, thank _you_," Mrs. Whitley beamed, embracing Soda gently. "You honestly saved Mickey Mouse's life."

"Nah, I didn't," Soda shook his head with a smile. "He did that on his own. But thanks again for lettin' me stay for a while."

Then Sodapop turned to Jenny, who had tears sitting in her eyes. Soda smiled and embraced her hard. He then leaned his forehead against hers, pushing her hair out of her face. "I'll call ya every day, ok Juliet?" he smiled. "And come to see ya as often as possible."

"I trust you, Romeo," she whispered, kissing his cheek.

They embraced one last time in the cold afternoon air and then Soda turned to Darry and Pony.

"Romeo and Juliet?" Darry rose an eye brow.

"Yeah, we read it together," Soda replied with a small smile.

"You read Shakespeare?" Pony gasped.

"Yup."

"The world's endin'," Darry chuckled jokingly.

Then, after one last good-bye to the Whitley family, Soda got into Buck's car which had been loaned to Darry and Pony so they could get down to the Whitley's. Darry got in the car with Soda so he could drive his brother home and the newly permited Ponyboy drove the Curtis's truck home, following Darry and Soda. At first, Darry had been reluctant to let Pony drive without a license, but he knew Soda was too weak to drive so, reluctantly, Darrel Shayne Curtis Jr. let his youngest brother drive without a license. Maybe the world _was_ ending.

_TWO DAYS LATER:_

Sodapop lay sprawled out on the couch, his DX cap discarded on the floor. He had arrived home from his first day back at work only minutes ago, and he was exhausted.

Suddenly, the door bell rang. Confused, Soda made his way to the door. Most people just bardged in. Oh, for Pete's sake...he hoped it wasn't the welfare lady.

But when he opened the door, he only smiled, suprise filling him as well as an overwhelming sense of joy. "Hey Jenny."

"Hey, Soda," she beamed, giving him a huge hug and, finally, a kiss. "Juliet can't go without Romeo for very long, you know?"

But Soda wasn't listening. He was just happy to finally be back in the saddle again.

_

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_

THE END!

Awwww Jenny put Soda back in the saddle of rooomace again after stupid dumb Sandy. *Grr at Sandy*

Well I hope you all liked this! I know it was a rather shortish chappy book, but sweet:)

Soooo...**REVIEW**?

~Rosey


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